Adam Dachis

Buying second-hand gift cards can save you a bit of money, but buying them on eBay (or potentially anywhere else) may cause problems. As one unlucky buyer told the Consumerist, sometimes they expire before you even have the chance to use them:

Jen used eBay to buy some Fandango Bucks so she could save a few dollars off the cost of a movie. She wasn't going to the movies right away, though. At first, the credits came up short, and she filed a case against the seller. They straightened that out, she closed the case, and all was well. Until she actually went to use the codes, and discovered that they had expired. She was out $70, and eBay couldn't help her.

While this sort of issue likely makes up the minority of transactions, it's a good lesson to learn from. Next time you're looking to buy a discounted gift card, find out the expiration date first. It could save you a lot of trouble later.